Tag archive: Olympus

We had the opportunity to briefly go hands-on with the Olympus OM-D E-M5 last month at CES. While we’re anxious to put the real deal to the test, we had a few observations about Olympus' latest Micro Four Thirds camera. Suffice it to say we’re excited. Size Probably the most surprising thing about the E-M5 was its size and weight. We have had a lot of experience with the PEN series, particularly the E-P3. The E-P3 was — until now — the… Read More

In more camera news that everyone saw coming from a mile away, the Olympus OM-D E-M5 has been officially announced, marking a new series from the manufacturers that brought you the very popular Micro Four Thirds PEN series. While it has a stylish body and MFT, interchangeable lens systems in common with the former, the OM-D line is an entirely different animal.   The OM-D series pays homage to the original OM SLR series, with its triangular… Read More

Olympus has endured some very public legal and financial woes lately. The company has found itself in serious debt after years of shady business practices from executives and board members, and buyout rumors have surfaced. Now it appears that instead of selling its camera business, Olympus is negotiating to partner with Sony. Japanese site Diamond Online reports that the two will coordinate to “enhance the synergy of business and technology”… Read More

Olympus has announced a slew of new cameras, ranging in make and model from a high-end super-zooom to an entry-level point and shoot. Conspicuously missing from Olympus additions? No new entries to its micro four-thirds PEN series, arguably the manufacturers' most popular products. But Olympus has been adding to this lineup fast and furiously, and now it's taking a step back to focus on its other segments.  While these new cameras… Read More

Olympus Corporation has announced (PDF) it is suing 19 current and former executives over their roles in conducting and covering up years of financial fraud that as brought the prominent Japanese electronics company to its knees in recent months. Overall, Olympus is seeking over ¥90 billion (about US$1.17 billion). including some ¥3.6 billion (about US$47 million) from former chairman Tsuyoshi Kikukawa and ¥500 million (about… Read More

Speaking at a press conference in Tokyo, former Olympus CEO Michael Woodford announced he is giving up his bid to be re-instated as CEO of the troubled Japanese camera and medical device manufacturer. Woodford indicated that, while he might be able to win a proxy battle to retake control of the company, without support from Olympus's key Japanese institutional investors it would be a hollow victory that would leave Olympus significantly… Read More

Camera and medical equipment maker Olympus is still reeling from revelations that its leadership had been engaged in financial wrongdoing since the 1990s to hide losses, and recently wiped out 70 percent of its net assets by restating its last five years of earnings. As the company works to restore investor confidence—and hopefully investor cash flow—the company is apparently considering a move that would see recomposing its board… Read More

It’s not all bad news for Olympus—or at least fans of its digital camera products. As rumors of a sale to Fujifilm hit this morning, the company also announced its new micro-four-thirds lens. The M.ZUIKO digital ED 12-50mm F3.5-6.3 is a hybrid product for the MFT series: it’s both an electric and manual zoom lens. With a zoom ratio of 4.2x, it should be versatile in a few other ways as well. Wide-angle and telephoto-range shots can be… Read More

Speculation over a sale is only the latest chapter of the Olympus financial scandal saga. The company has been struggling to keep its stock listed while determining what to do with its sullied board, and more importantly what to do about the $1.1 billion missing from its balance sheet. And when a company is having money and image problems, acquisition almost immediately comes to mind. While initially smaller firms seemed interested in the… Read More

Japan's beleaguered Olympus Corporation has restated its financial results for the last five years along with the six months leading up to September 2011 in a last-minute bid to retain its listing on the Tokyo Stock Exchange. The company withdrew its annual earnings guidance and says there will be no stock dividend for the first half of its fiscal year, but the overall damage from over a decade of cooked books doesn't seem to be as… Read More

Olympus’ fraud investigation and the subsequent fallout is shaping up to be one of the biggest scandals of the year, and as the company faces further scrutiny, it’s reassessing its business priorities. Yesterday, a 200+ page report was released detailing the company’s now-infamous scheme to hide some $1.7 billion in investment losses. Olympus’ board and former president Michael C. Woodford are attempting to set things straight, partially through… Read More

Michael Woodford may no longer be CEO of scandal-rocked camera and medical equipment maker Olympus, but he still has a seat on the company's board. Attending the first board meeting since the company's decade's long financial scheme to hide losses came to light, Woodford described the board meeting as constructive and civilized as the company struggles to meet deadlines and retain its listing on the Tokyo Stock Exchange. But,… Read More

In a preliminary report to officials with Japan's Securities and Exchange Surveillance Commission as well as law enforcement officials, investigators revealed the amount of money unaccounted for in Olympus's books may now total some $4.9 billion. Investigators are looking into whether any of that money went to companies with ties to organized crime. Olympus' scandal broke last month with the abrupt firing of the company's… Read More

Scandal-rocked Japanese technology company Olympus warned this week that it would not be able to meet a November 14 deadline to submit its quarterly earnings report, prompting the Tokyo Stock Exchange to warn the company its shares would be de-listed if Olympus can't submit its report within one month of the statutory deadline. In the meantime, the Nikkei reports that the third-party committee looking into Olympus's finances for… Read More